Understanding IBDP Music and Group 6
IBDP Music
One of the fundamental aims of this course is to ensure that you have a range of experiences that merge the roles of researchers, creators, and performers to develop the holistic learner in you. In these roles, you learn to investigate in authentic ways (researcher), make music by composing, improvising and arranging (creator), and develop your practical skills in music making (performer). For more on this see page 25 of the Guide (available on MyIB).
"Understanding the Group" Photo by Margarida CSilva on Unsplash
IBDP Music is one of the offerings in the Group 6 category (The Arts), along with dance, visual arts, theatre, and film. You can read more about these options here. The Standard Level course for Film (as of March 2023) is also available through Pamoja (online learning courses). Click HERE for a complete range of courses offered through online learning.
Photo by Wes Hicks on Unsplash
It is possible for you to NOT study one of the Arts subjects, but take on one of the Experimental Sciences (Group 4), subjects in Individuals and Societies (Group 3) OR one of the Language courses (Group 1 or 2) instead. This can be the reason that the number of students is often low in the Group 6 subjects. It depends on a number of factors of course, including the school culture, and the pathways that students map out for themselves.
For more information on this CLICK here, which will take you to Arts Aims.
Here is a summary of the Subject Groups in the IB diploma, as well as the CORE components:
Ordinarily, students take THREE subjects at Higher Level (HL) and THREE subjects at Standard Level (SL), but it is possible to take four subjects at HL. This will depend on timetabling, school flexibility, and likely student ability.
We would certainly encourage you to take on one of the Arts subjects when possible, as this broadens the student's diploma experience.
On page 7 of the Music Guide, it states, "Music not only offers a way of understanding the world, but also a means by which we can express and share our understanding of it with others".
This connects with the IB Mission Statement that states, in part, that one of its aims is to develop 'intercultural understanding and respect'.
Photo by RUT MIIT on Unsplash
Here is a summary of the IBDP Music Syllabus (first assessment 2022) in the form of a spoken commentary and accompanying visuals, including important features that dictate its framework.
There are THREE versions for you (all of these versions have been embedded in this thread below). You may use this as a chapter guide (see "Show More" on YouTube to navigate this):
6:50 Overview of the Course
8:25 Summary of Components and their Interplay
9:44 The Four Areas of Inquiry
13:30 Contexts
15:24 Musical Processes
16:16 Musical Roles
17:36 Assessment Objectives
20:31 Graphic Summary of all Components
22:13 Assessment Summary
24:41 Conclusion
Here is another version that addresses all the key components of the course.
This version contains a video with commentary, as well as a downloadable PDF illustrating all of its key features.
Here is an accompanying pdf containing the important features of the course.